The Risk Management Association and Automated Financial Systems' Risk Analysis Service
Fourth Quarter Metrics Reflect Borrowers' Elevated Utilization of Lines of Credit

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Philadelphia, PA - February 6, 2009 - The Risk Management Association (RMA), in alliance with Automated Financial Systems, Inc. (AFS), today released fourth quarter of 2008 Risk Analysis Service (RAS) data. The industry's only comprehensive credit risk benchmark, RAS metrics on commercial credit risk reveal continued deterioration in the middle market and reflect portfolio data for middle market exposure provided by 17 top-tier participating institutions, estimated to represent more than half of all middle market commercial loans in the U.S.

"The data suggests that borrowers are increasingly tapping revolving credit lines negotiated in earlier periods," said Kevin Blakely, RMA president and CEO. "Increasing utilization rates result in higher regulatory capital requirements, which the industry is responding to. We expect utilization rates under existing lines of credit to remain elevated until credit conditions ease and overall credit availability improves."

The composite average utilization rate under lines of credit was 47.5% as of December 31, 2008, an 18.6% increase from the year ago period. Utilization rates began rising in the first quarter 2008, and remained elevated throughout the year. Utilization rates vary depending on the characteristics of the borrower, such as industry segment and geography. For example, middle market borrowers with ties to the real estate sector showed the highest utilization rates, as did borrowers domiciled in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, and South Carolina.

The percentage of middle market loans on nonaccrual rose for the eighth consecutive quarter and is now 1.5% of total outstanding balances, representing a 23% increase over the prior quarter and a 127% increase from one year ago. Middle market loans past due between 30 and 89 days spiked sharply in the quarter to 1.25%, up 54.3% from the prior quarter and double the year-ago level.

About RAS
The RMA/AFS Risk Analysis Service serves as global banking's only comprehensive, industry-standard credit risk benchmark. An industry-led consortium, RAS members perform actionable comparisons of their own data and that of the industry and peer banks for meaningful segments of the portfolio. Consistent with its "global reach, local markets" approach, current coverage for RAS includes U.S. Commercial and Industrial, U.S. Commercial Real Estate, and European segments. Through multiple offerings, RAS allows participants to gain real-time insights into changing credit quality and portfolio concentrations, answering "How do we compare?" which is especially important in these turbulent times.

RAS members now receive an expanded set of risk-rating metrics. In addition to borrower risk ratings, institutions are now able to segment their portfolios by measures of default probability, loss given default, and expected loss, risk parameters mandated by the international Basel II rules.

About RMA
Founded in 1914, The Risk Management Association is a not-for-profit, member-driven professional association whose sole purpose is to advance the use of sound risk principles in the financial services industry. RMA promotes an enterprise-wide approach to risk management that focuses on credit risk, market risk, and operational risk. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, RMA has 3,000 institutional members that include banks of all sizes as well as nonbank financial institutions. They are represented in the Association by 20,000 risk management professionals who are chapter members in financial centers throughout North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific. Visit RMA on the Web at www.rmahq.org.

About Automated Financial Systems, Inc.
Automated Financial Systems, Inc. (AFS) is the global leader in providing commercial lending solutions to top-tier financial institutions. AFS works with the world's 50 largest financial institutions to build lending processes based on a straight-through model and on-demand technology and services. In doing so, AFS partners with client banks to understand their strategic goals and works proactively to achieve their business and technology objectives. AFS is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia; its European subsidiary, Automated Financial Systems GmbH, is based in Vienna, Austria. For further information, visit www.afsvision.com.